Across 43 states and the District of Columbia, 7,000 charter schools now enroll more than 3 million students, according to a report co-authored by AIR. Megan Austin highlights how research and evidence-based practices can help charter management organizations and charter school leaders build capacity, develop effective teachers and leaders, and ...
Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) have recently come to the forefront as a potential solution for measuring student growth, particularly for educators in subjects or grades not covered by a state standardized assessment. This paper discusses the steps for using SLOs as a measure of growth, identifies key considerations for successful ...
Gretchen Weber, former vice president for Policy, Practice, and Systems Change at AIR, has always championed teachers and advocated for meaningful teacher appreciation every day of the year. In this post, she discusses the challenges teachers are facing during the coronavirus pandemic.
This Connecting Research to Practice brief helps educators make informed decisions about English language learners (ELLs) by providing an overview of key research findings, highlighting federal policies related to ELLs, outlining district-level and school-level action opportunities, and listing resources that offer more information. ...
Research, Policy, and Practice Connections is series of conversations among AIR experts on emerging topics related to improving teacher and school leader effectiveness. Each video interview explores three questions: Why is this topic relevant right now? What are the key challenges and innovations? What is AIR learning through research and ...
This spotlight takes a look at the history of Title I, how the program has changed over time, and how it affects children, schools, families and education policy. Experts weigh in on the program's past and future in interviews, briefs, and blogs.
As California approaches a new system of academic standards, instruction, and assessment, it enters familiar territory. The use of multiple modes of assessment, tight alignment between assessments and expectations for student learning, and a focus on assessment for formative (as well as summative) purposes—all with an emphasis on students’ understanding ...
The best afterschool programs do two things: they engage students in fun activities that create a desire to learn, and they build on what students are learning during the school day to extend the knowledge they already have. This online toolkit provides resources for developing fun, innovative, and academically enriching ...
Raising awareness and increasing the understanding of mental health can change the way society views and responds to this complex issue. AIR promotes positive mental health through school and community-based approaches involving youth, families, school, health care providers, and other stakeholders.